Oil drain plug help!!
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore Maryland
Oil drain plug help!!
I made the mistake of getting my oil changed at Jiffy Lube last time. My guess is that they put the oil drain plug cap on somewhat crooked or off the thread pattern because i snapped 2 of my socket wrenches trying to get it off and my power drill started smoking when I used that. Any advice on what I should do? I'm trying to change the oil tonight before work tomorrow so any help would be appreciated. Thanks. -Chris
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
From: St Louis MO
Bad
Jiffy Lube?
I would leave it in at this point, once you get it out, it probably is not going back. You may need to visit a shop and have them re-tap with a larger plug...or worst case new pan!
Jiffy Lube
I would leave it in at this point, once you get it out, it probably is not going back. You may need to visit a shop and have them re-tap with a larger plug...or worst case new pan!
Jiffy Lube
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 663
Likes: 0
From: Arvada CO
Snapped 2 wrenches, that is very impressive. Bad sign for your plug and pan. If it were me, I would drive it to someone competent because your original plug is not going back into your original pan anytime soon assuming you actually get it out. Leave it alone or you will be deciding on which flatbed towing company has the best deal.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
That is impressive. I would have guessed they would have stripped the oilpan threads to hell before they got it that tight. The oilpan is aluminum, so the metal is pretty soft and easy to strip. You never tighten the oil-plug that tight...geez
I agree with previous posters in saying you don't want to pull it out in your garage....
I agree with previous posters in saying you don't want to pull it out in your garage....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 779
Likes: 2
From: Bloomingdale Illinois
The GM oil drain plugs were designed to be very hard to cross thread them.
Not that it is not possible.
I bet it was extremely overtightened.
If you are breaking sockets, the socket is cheap .
Grab a quality socket and try again. The bolt would snap off before the socket would break.
Plus, if it was cross threaded it would leak from the rubber seal from not seating properly.
And one more thing
Stay away from 10 minute oil changes
Not that it is not possible.
I bet it was extremely overtightened.
If you are breaking sockets, the socket is cheap .
Grab a quality socket and try again. The bolt would snap off before the socket would break.
Plus, if it was cross threaded it would leak from the rubber seal from not seating properly.
And one more thing
Stay away from 10 minute oil changes
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 134
From: merritt island fl
C1 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
2016 C1 of the Year Finalist
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
The GM oil drain plugs were designed to be very hard to cross thread them.
Not that it is not possible.
I bet it was extremely overtightened.
If you are breaking sockets, the socket is cheap .
Grab a quality socket and try again. The bolt would snap off before the socket would break.
Plus, if it was cross threaded it would leak from the rubber seal from not seating properly.
And one more thing
Stay away from 10 minute oil changes
Not that it is not possible.
I bet it was extremely overtightened.
If you are breaking sockets, the socket is cheap .
Grab a quality socket and try again. The bolt would snap off before the socket would break.
Plus, if it was cross threaded it would leak from the rubber seal from not seating properly.
And one more thing
Stay away from 10 minute oil changes
Let us know how it turns out.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,563
Likes: 2
From: Dallas Tx
Your turning it lefty loosy correct? I'll also bet it's just reefed in there with way too much torque. Bubba standing in the pit probably had two bowels of wheaties that day. Get a bigger and better wrench and lay into that sucker. Throw the taiwanese crap away.
Is the bolt head flush/parallel to the pan? If it were cross threaded it would be at an angle.
Also take it for a long drive. A hot motor makes the drain plug and filter come off easy. If your trying it cold. That would explain the pan's death grip on the plug. Two different metals, different expansion rates. Get the motor and pan nice and hot, the plug will be much easier. Bubba probably put it in there hot, now if the motor is cooler - it's going to be real tight.
Is the bolt head flush/parallel to the pan? If it were cross threaded it would be at an angle.
Also take it for a long drive. A hot motor makes the drain plug and filter come off easy. If your trying it cold. That would explain the pan's death grip on the plug. Two different metals, different expansion rates. Get the motor and pan nice and hot, the plug will be much easier. Bubba probably put it in there hot, now if the motor is cooler - it's going to be real tight.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,597
Likes: 3
From: READING PA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
Your turning it lefty loosy correct? I'll also bet it's just reefed in there with way too much torque. Bubba standing in the pit probably had two bowels of wheaties that day. Get a bigger and better wrench and lay into that sucker. Throw the taiwanese crap away.
Is the bolt head flush/parallel to the pan? If it were cross threaded it would be at an angle.
Also take it for a long drive. A hot motor makes the drain plug and filter come off easy. If your trying it cold. That would explain the pan's death grip on the plug. Two different metals, different expansion rates. Get the motor and pan nice and hot, the plug will be much easier. Bubba probably put it in there hot, now if the motor is cooler - it's going to be real tight.
Is the bolt head flush/parallel to the pan? If it were cross threaded it would be at an angle.
Also take it for a long drive. A hot motor makes the drain plug and filter come off easy. If your trying it cold. That would explain the pan's death grip on the plug. Two different metals, different expansion rates. Get the motor and pan nice and hot, the plug will be much easier. Bubba probably put it in there hot, now if the motor is cooler - it's going to be real tight.
Sorry you had the giffy lube rambo experience.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 779
Likes: 2
From: Bloomingdale Illinois
It's not a good idea to run a tap through the oil pan drain hole. The reason is you are not tapping aluminum. You would be trying to tap the hardened "helicoil" style insert that is the threads for the drain plug.
Most likely the tap would jam or worse, break off.
If you still have not gotten it off, I would take it back to the Jiffy Lube where you changed it, speak with a manager and while you're watching and have them try and remove the Plug.
Then if it breaks off or was cross threaded they cannot blame you.
A lot of the Quick oil change places overtighten the Oil Drain Plugs and oil filters.
The reason being is all the past frequent horror stories of them falling out of customers cars and toasting their engines.
That is there way to make sure that never happens to them.
p.s. when I worked at the Chevy Dealer, 99% of oil filters that had a quick change name brand on them were extremely overtightened.
We would break oil filter wrenches trying to get them off or it would crush the filter it self.
We would have to stab a screwdriver through the filter from one side to the other and use the leverage to try and remove them.
Good Luck
Perry
Most likely the tap would jam or worse, break off.
If you still have not gotten it off, I would take it back to the Jiffy Lube where you changed it, speak with a manager and while you're watching and have them try and remove the Plug.
Then if it breaks off or was cross threaded they cannot blame you.
A lot of the Quick oil change places overtighten the Oil Drain Plugs and oil filters.
The reason being is all the past frequent horror stories of them falling out of customers cars and toasting their engines.
That is there way to make sure that never happens to them.
p.s. when I worked at the Chevy Dealer, 99% of oil filters that had a quick change name brand on them were extremely overtightened.
We would break oil filter wrenches trying to get them off or it would crush the filter it self.
We would have to stab a screwdriver through the filter from one side to the other and use the leverage to try and remove them.
Good Luck
Perry
Last edited by C6dude; Apr 29, 2008 at 01:32 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 125
From: laguna niguel ca
No offense but you get what you pay for. You can change your oil at home in 30 minutes. You don't have to be a wrench to do it either. Invest in a low profile jack, some jack stands for safety, a 13mm wrench and something to catch your oil and store it until you go and dispose of it. You should never need an oil filter wrench because you don't tighten it much. Same with a 13mm drain plug, just slightly tighten it, it woun't come out believe me. Good luck.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 988
Likes: 4
From: Livermore CA
I have backed out over tight bolts with stripped heads with a punch and hammer, you start with a conical tipped punch and pound it into the bolt head near the edge establishing a divot, as the divot grows you increase the angle of the punch until it is more perpendicular than axial, keep pounding and it hopefully will loosen. This takes a little practice but is valuable in a jam. Good luck.
